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Duil Architecture
Duilintinn has a very diverse series of architectural styles and trends. Styles You've got four major types of architecture in Duilintinn: Feadhainn Era, Waldren Occupation, Interim Years, and Mountain settlements. Feadhainn Era Feadhainn Era architecture features round layouts, circular towers, and intricate walls of perfectly shaped grey-blue stone that required no mortar. Most of this architecture is concentrated in western Duilintinn. Examples include Iolla Beacon, Mulladún, Monacoil, and Fort Conchúr. Unfortunately, Feadhainn architectural techniques are mostly lost to time. No one knows how to build cities with nothing but some chiseled stone in the same way. No designs remain; the skill was passed down from mentor to mentee over generations, and that inherited knowledge was lost when the Dragon War destroyed the majority of Feadhainn. Waldren Occupation Waldren Occupation settlements were built specifically by settlers from Waldren. They feature white stone bricks, tile roofs, and strict grid systems. Most of this architecture is concentrated in eastern Duilintinn. One of the best examples of this style is Fionport. Interim Years During the Interim Years, a number of settlements were built for practicality's sake that didn't ascribe to a particular architectural style. Most of these were built by the powerful factions vying for power in the vacuum left in Waldren's absence. Mountain Settlements Finally, the people living in the Southern Mountains were relatively isolated from the influences of Feadhainn, Waldren, and other powerful groups. As a result, the architecture in this region is completely unique. Influences from dwarven architecture taught these people how to safely and expertly build settlements in the mountains, but the style of the buildings themselves was completely different because (surprise) they weren't living underground. For example, you might see: * Homes built into the side of the mountain from sod, like a hobbit hole. * Thick roofs with long awnings to protect from the constant rain. * Lots of wood used in the west, closer to the Western Forest. * Lots of stone used in the east, which is more hilly and rocky. Note that the stone used in Mountain Settlements is very different from the stone used in Feadhainn Era architecture. The former chiseled away at each stone to make them the perfect size and shape to hold together without mortar. The latter uses stone of all shapes, sizes, and colors, and uses thick mortar made of the constantly available mud to hold it all together. Average Town Things that would be in almost every single town in Duilintinn: * Amphitheater structure * Marketplace/Town Square * Local farm(s) and pasture(s) (single large one or multiple small ones) * Healer/Doctor/Nurse/Herbalist * Town Hall * General Store * Blacksmith and various other craftsmen/shops * Place(s) of Worship (may meet in buildings used for other purposes) * Inn/Tavern * Well * Guard Barracks (if guards are hired to protect the town each year) * Schoolhouse (smaller towns may share another town’s school) * Houses (though store owners would live over or in their shops, while others may rent space in the inn or another person's home instead of owning a place of their own) As a general rule, there wouldn’t be a shop for everything. There would be basic shops for necessities, and you’d travel to different towns for more specific services. So one town might have an enchanter, while another might have a potion maker, and yet another maybe has someone making textiles, etc. etc. etc. Obviously, the bigger the town, the more cool shops there would be. Better-off towns can afford to pay for more nonessential services, allowing people like librarians and artists to survive on that task alone. Plumbing and Sanitation While smaller towns still use basic wells and/or river water for drinking and washing, most large cities basic plumbing/sanitation routes are common within large towns and major cities, thanks to an early collaboration between the Order of Stone and Ocean Men. Before being named the capital of House Brody, Aghaboy suffered from extremely crowded urban sprawl, thanks to decades of entrepreneurs trying to set up their business as close to Waldren’s trading centers as possible. Therefore, when Aghaboy was chosen as the site for the next capital and the Ocean Men and Order of Stone were officially recognized as guilds, their first major project was to create a quality sanitation system for the city. Mostly, this "plumbing" was just waste removal, irrigation, and better wells, but they also included actual fountains of running, potable water. Pre-existing outhouses were connected to a sanitation route that would ensure waste was carried away to an area beyond the city limits. After that was finished, the Ocean Men took it upon themselves to campaign for similar plumbing systems to be built in the other major cities (a few of which had rudimentary sanitation systems) and large towns throughout Duilintinn. One by one, most of these locations agreed to the renovations, prompting the Order of Stone to create smaller guild hubs in major cities across Duilintinn to delegate the construction efforts. Amphitheaters Originating in Feadhainn Era architecture, almost every town in Duilintinn has a large amphitheater structure that functions an open town square, marketplace, sports arena, festival grounds, performance stage, and ceremony venue. Amphitheater styles would vary depending on when and where they were built. Older Amphitheaters Amphitheaters built in the Monaidh Plains during the Feadhainn Era were close to the center of the city and were partially dug into the ground, rather than built entirely as a raised structure. This automatically means that the architectural work is simpler. You only have to do the math for one layer of stairs/seats, while the ground will ensure that the other ones don’t cave in. This type is most common in the Monaidh Plains, where the ground is firm. However, while this soil makes for good structural integrity, modern architects are stumped as to how the Feadhainn peoples actually managed to dig out so much hard, unyielding earth in the first place, though it's likely the same way that they diverted the Agrona River. For this reason, lowered amphitheaters are rare, only found in cities and towns built during the peak of Feadhainn culture. However, while Monacoil was also built during that period, the marshy land of the Draoidh Valley made building their amphitheater into the ground a bad idea. In fact, the construction of this city likely marks the architectural transition between lowered amphitheaters and raised ones in Feadhainn culture. For this reason, most amphitheaters in cities and towns west of the Agrona River are raised. Newer Amphitheaters Since these structures originated from Feadhainn culture, cities built during the Waldren Occupation would’ve lacked amphitheaters for some time. When these structures were finally added to the city, the location would be a lot less central, and most of them would be raised, rather than lowered. The exception to this rule is Cordoire, which was given a lowered amphitheater in a construction project commissioned by King Sean in the years immediately after Duilintinn's founding. Not only did this provide hundreds of uncertain new citizens with months of stable work, but it also turned the amphitheater into a symbol of Duilintinn's diverse population coming together for a brighter future. Soon afterward, other towns and cities began to add amphitheaters, creating yet more jobs and solidifying the amphitheater as a fundamental part of Duil celebrations and social life.